Samuel Griffin 1776-1851 Essex, Vermont

The birth of Samuel Griffin Jun. is recorded in the ledgers of the Killingworth Congregational Second Society; the date is March 17, 1776. Samuel grew up with his ten siblings on the home lot on Roast Meat Hill Rd. His three older half sisters, Lois, Polly and Azuba were married and in their own homes by the time he was a teenager. Life in the Griffin home was probably centered on the large room that made up most of the first floor of the house. A large fireplace, that covered much of one wall, dominated the room. All of the family’s meals were prepared in the fireplace. During the rest of the day it served as the heat source for the home. In the evening I suppose that it provided the light for schoolwork. ---------- Samuel’s father made his primary living in his joiners shop. The homes in Killingworth are all wood frame houses. There is a rich tradition of fine woodwork in their exterior trim and interior finish. Lumber is a common asset listed in many of the wills I have reviewed in Killingworth. All of this speaks to the Griffin boys helping their father in his carpentry business. ---------- The original home lot was surround by a modest amount of farmland. I am sure Samuel was involved in all of the activities that a farm boy is usually exposed to. You can still identify the foundations for a barn and a corncrib on the home lot. The living history of Killingworth is filled with stories of butchering hogs and making sausages. There are reference to fruit trees and cranberry bogs and mince pies. In the history of the extended Griffin family there are references to cider presses. Milk and cheese were surly a part of everyday fare. The animal power to run the farm is more likely to have been oxen than horses. In the wills and land deeds it is common to find references to acreage dedicated to pasturage. With six brothers in the household it is quite likely that there was enough rough and tumble to suit any young man trying to measure his boundaries. ---------- Life in North Killingworth was centered on the Congregational Society. His father Owned the Covenant meaning the family were members in full standing. Sundays involved going to a series of meeting that took up most of the day. Society records noted that one of the activities that the society was involved in was managing the local schools. His firm signature that is found in the deed records is an indication that Samuel spent some time in those schools. It is my own personal fantasy to imagine the boys sitting by the fireplace listening to the stories told by their father of his exploits in the French and Indian War as he worked his loom. --------- Samuel’s Aunt Thankful Griffin Buell and her large family lived a short distance down Roast Meat Hill Rd. In addition his uncle James and his family lived in South Killingworth. Given all of the hints of the closeness of those early New England families I am sure Samuel enjoyed a good deal of cousin time. ---------- It was the young men of Samuel’s generation who were faced with the reality that the continuous expansion of Killingworth has reached its inevitable limit. For the young men of his generation the oldest son inherited the family farm and the rest of the boys in the family turned their eyes elsewhere to make their fortune. For the young men of Killingworth elsewhere was New Hampshire or Vermont. ---------- Joel and Asahel were the first to leave. They are listed in the 1790 census in New Haven, Addison County, Vermont. John joined a group that surveyed the Essex, Chittenden, Vermont Township. With John marking the way by 1800 Samuel Griffin Senior and his three sons, Samuel Jun, John and Dan were all settled in Essex. Their sister Mercy and her husband Ithamar Pelton joined them. ---------- Samuel Griffin Sen. purchased Lot 142 in the large central valley that dominates Essex. His sons John and Dan joined him on his new farm. Samuel Jun on the other hand purchased Lot 81 in the area known as the “Lost Nation”. From the Bicentennial History of Essex, ---------- “In the western part of the town nicknamed Lost Nation by the early settlers, beginning on the Reservoir road opposite the Moses Yandow farm the first farm was settle by Samuel Griffin. His house was on a knoll on the south side of the road where the foundations are still visible.” --------- The majority of Lot 81 ran down the bottomland created by Indian Brook. While more rugged in nature the bottomland was made up of some of the richest land in the township. Both father and son acquired addition properties adjoining their original lots both eventually building up large successful farms. ( See Blog June 2014) --------- There is a headstone in the Essex Common Burial Ground that puzzled family historian for a long time. It sat next to Samuel Griffin Senior and his wife Mercy. It is damaged and hard to read. A transcription read, --------- ” Zilpha Griffin – June ye 11, AD 1799– In memory of – wife of Samuel Griffin Jun’r- in the 48 yr of her age. “ --------- The listed age of “48” did not compute if she was the wife of our Samuel Griffin Jun. The mystery was solved with the discovery of a set of records documenting the family of Samuel Buell found in the Essex town records. The record listed the death of Zilpha Buell on June ye 11, 1799. A bit of basic research on the family of Samuel Buell reveled the fact that he had lived in Killingworth Connecticut with the Griffins. The baptism of his daughter Zilpha is record there on Aug 12, 1781 making her age 18 not 48 at the time of her death. ---------- Thus it appears that Samuel Griffin married Zilpha Buell in Essex in 1798/99 with her death following soon after. After her death Samuel took as his second wife Sylvia Bradley the daughter of one of the most prominent men in Essex, Deacon Samuel Bradley. There is no record of their marriage but it probably occurred in the spring of 1800. --------- The birth of Sylvia Bradley is found the land records in Sunderland, Vermont. It notes that “Silvey” was born Feburary 23rd, 1783, the daughter of Samuel Bradley and Abigail Brownson. Her father moved the family to Essex in the 1790s. ------- Samuel and Sylvia built up a large farm that seemed to be quite adequate in its ability to provide for their needs. Life was such that Samuel was able as an older man to join in the fight during the War of 1812. We can find in the military records an entry that reads, --------- “Samuel Griffin 3 Reg’t (Tylers) Vermont Private” ---------- Samuel and Sylvia had nine children together all of whom survived to adulthood. The children are listed in the baptismal records of the Essex Congregational Society; Zilpha, Philemon, Minor Bradley, Orlo, Albert, Harrison, Sylvia, Lois Rosette and Electa Celinda. ---------- The first child born in the family was a daughter who they named Zilpha probably born about 1801. I find it curious that Samuel would ask his second wife to name a daughter after his first wife. Zilpha married David Day III. They had a family of eleven losing all but four of their children at an early age. The family lost two boys, Edgar and Albert in the Civil War. Zilpha and David also died young. They are buried in the Essex Junction Village Cemetery. Her headstone reads,” Zilpha Day Died 15 Feb 1843 wife of David Day III”. David died in 1845. --------- Philemon was born September 4, 1803. There are a few land deeds between Philemon, the oldest son, and his father Samuel as father tried to help a son get a start in life. Consumption took Philemon at an early age. From the Burlington Sentinel, --------- “In Essex, April 15, of consumption, Philemon Griffin age 25 years. --------- His headstone reads, --------- “In Memory of Philemon Griffin who died April 15, 1829 in 26 year of his age”. -------- Philemon married Anna Mariah Sanford. There is no evidence that the couple had any children. Anna eventually remarried. --------- Minor Bradley Griffin was born probably in 1804. He carried his mother’s maiden name. Minor too was destined to die as a young man. His headstone reads, --------- “In Memory of Minor Griffin who died Oct. 2, 1830 in the 26 year of his age.” --------- Minor married Sarah Ann Hinckley. Again there is no evidence that the couple had any children. --------- Orlow Bronson Griffin was born in March of 1807. His marriage to Hannah Thompson is found in the Vermont Sentinel, --------- “Essex, VT Orlo B Griffin and Hannah K Thompson married 16 Apr 1830”. --------- Orlow and Hannah had 15 children together six are buried in the Griffin family plot in the Essex Common Burial Ground as unnamed infants. Two other children died at a very young age. Orlow purchased a three-acre home lot from his father near his father’s house. It is my read on history that they farmed in concert with an eye toward Orlow eventually taking over his fathers land. However fate intervened with an early death for Orlow. He died June 6, 1851 at the age of 44. We have a number of postings on the Blog for his son David Brainard. -------- The next child born in the family was Albert Bailey Griffin. Albert carried his grandmother’s family name. Albert was born February 28, 1809. Albert married Abigail Varney from Colchester in about 1825. The couple had three sons, Sidney who lived until the age of four, Albert Bailey who survived only a few days and Charles Emerson. Albert was the only sibling to leave Essex moving to Munson, Ohio. In Munson he joined with the Mormon movement. He eventually moved to Nauvoo Illinois and then became a part of the Mormon migration to the Rocky Mountains and Utah. In Utah Albert participated in the Mormon tradition of polygamy taking as a second wife Laura Emily Beebe. The couple had seven children together. Albert is buried in Kanarraville, Utah his death occurring February 11, 1896. --------- In 1895 Albert wrote a letter to his son Charles in which he related elements of his family history; --------- “I was born and you was in Essex Chittenden Co. Your mother was born in Colchester Chittenden Co. joining Essex on the West. Colchester lays on Lake Champlain joining Burlington city and Essex to. Your grandfathers folks were Quakers ( refering to his wife Abigail) ---------- I got a letter from my brother Catty Harrison he is a cripple with rheumatism 82 years old. My sister Lois Rosetta Hunt lives in Essex very poor heath. Electa Celina my youngest sister lives in Nebraska were a number of Counties have lost their crops and have to be helpt. Sylvia Fuller and her husband are both death the lived in Essex.” A photograph of Albert is posted below. --------- Harrison Griffin was born in 1812/13. Harrison married Phebe S. Larkin. Together they had seven children. Of the seven children only two survived to adulthood, Ella and Ida. There are five small headstones in the Griffin family plot in the Essex Common Burial Ground that lists 4 unnamed sons and one daughter the children of Harrison and Phebe Griffin. --------- After Phebe’s early death Harrison took Sylvia M. Baker as his second wife. Together they had two children Dan and Mariah. There is a family history for a date of death for Harrison December 12, 1890. The death of both of his wives is duly recorded in the Essex town records but there is no such record for his death. There is also no record of his place of burial. However there is evidence that he was still living at the time of his wife, Sylvia's, death in 1895. In that same year, 1895, his brother Albert made reference to his still living 82 year old brother Harrison in a letter to his son Charles. An item found in the Death Certificate for his son Dan, identified as Daniel B Griffin, noted that he was buried in Essex Junction. There is no record for Dan in the Essex Junction cemeteries. When the original township divided between Essex Center and Essex Junction Harrison’s farm was found in Essex Junction. I have a suspicion that on that property is a small family graveyard. Harrison helped manage his mother’s affairs in the later years of her life. -------- Sylvia G Griffin was born November 26, 1814. In 1840 she married Willard Fuller. The couple had five children together. Their primary residence was Cambridge, Vermont. Her death is found in the Essex town records under the year 1890, ---------- “December 12- Sylvia Griffin Fuller- female- married-heart disease- (Born) Essex- Samuel & Sylvia Griffin”. --------- Sylvia is buried in the Essex Junction Village Cemetery. --------- Rosetta Lois Griffin was born March 30, 1818. She married Eleazer Hunt. The couple had five children. Evidence from the land records indicates that the Hunts purchased land from her father. Her death is recorded in the Essex town records. It is found under the year 1898, “Feb 25-Lois Rosetta Griffin Hunt”. It lists her age as 79 years, 11 month and 7 days. Her cause of death is “Exhaustion “ from the results of a broken thigh. Her parents are listed as ”Samuel & Sylvia Bradley Griffin. She is buried in the Essex Common Burial Ground. Rosetta kept up a lengthy correspondence with her brother Albert in Utah. From one of the letters; --------- “I am blest with a kind husband good home and enough of the world to make me comfortable which is worth a great deal to me ………dear brother let us live the life of the Christian that we may dwell together in the world to come is the prayer of your sister it is the heart that God looks at and not the name. I enjoy the peace of mind that this world can neither give or take away and it is a help to me in getting through this world of sin and sorrow.” --------- Electa Celinda Griffin was born October 21, 1820. Electa married Chauncy Wolcott. The family had three children together making their home in Colchester. Electa described herself in a letter dated September 12, 1882, --------- “I am quite fleshy you see. I weigh 182lb short and stubby, pretty fair looking they say for a women of 62 years old the 21st day of Oct.” --------- Electa and her husband Chauncy followed her two children, Sarah and Sidney, to Webster County, Nebraska. Chauncy died in Cowles Nebraska in 1885. Some family tradition places her death in Mt. Clare, Nebraska sometime after 1889. However there is a letter that she wrote to her brother, Albert that is date January 1895. In the letter she provides some details of her life. After the death of her husband, Chauncy, Electa made the move to Nebraska. She wrote that she lived alone in Cowles, Nuckolls Co. Nebraska for six years before remarrying. She identifies her new husband as Mr. Conant. In the 1895 letter she wrote that they had moved from Cowles to Mt Clare, which was 14 miles north. Those towns are now located in Webster County Nebraska. --------- From the surviving family histories and traditions and a collection of letters that have survived written to Albert in Utah by his siblings we get a picture of a very close knit farm family of modest means. In letters addressed to Albert later in his life we read such sentiments as, “Yours with a sisters love”, “ My long absent but not forgotten brother”, “I received a very kind letter from you in due time …. Will you imagine my joy at reading a few lines from you, it really did seem like old times, I clasped it to my lips and raised my heart in prayer to God, to thank him for once more hearing by letter from you”. The sources describe a farm that had cattle, sheep and hogs. There are references to fruit trees and maple groves. The deed records show that the family had the means to continually acquire additional property as they expanded their holdings. We have descriptions of old houses and new houses as the family upgraded its living conditions. Everywhere is the description of cutting timber and clearing new land. The children all seemed to have an attachment to the family farm. The deed records show that they all sought to purchase a part of the farm from their father later in his life. --------- Religion was also a strong theme in the family. Many of the letters exchanged between the siblings have a religious tone. All of the children were baptized in the Congregational Society. But, we also find in the Congregational records a notation that each of the Griffin’s had had “Fellowship Withdrawn” in 1844. It seems that the Griffin family had all joined the Methodist congregation led by family friend George Whitney. (Blog April 2016 Griffin’s at Butlers Corners) ---------- Samuel Griffin died September 19, 1851. His wife sent the news to her son, Albert, living in Utah via a letter; ---------- “Underhill, VT May 30, 1852 --------- Dear Beloved children I now will try to write a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you o, No your mother has not forgotten you altho time seems long and the distance great yet tis good to received a letter from you tho directed to Harrison. Was glad to hear that you were all well now. Albert you understand that there has been great changes in your family, yes indeed there has. Your father is no more with us he fell asleep in Jesus we trust last Sept 19th. He was worn out by sickness pain and ditness, he made his will and fixed the affairs to leave. Sold the land, some to Orlo’s two boys and some to Wolcott and took notes for cash but reserved a home for me in the house that you built having settled his business he said I give all up. I give myself up I shall soon know what it is to die. You may wonder why I am at Underhill, well I will tell you, Sylvia Fuller lives there and so I live with her and family. I came here last Jan. my health is not very good I feel the infirmities of age hasting on and soon, very soon, I shall be gone when a few more greifs I have tasted, but I will not murmur nor repine. God has lead me through so far and I trust myself with him, he is the same yesterday, today and forever, yes Albert although I may wander and stray yet God is true and has marked out the way that we should follow his steps and has said be thou faithful unto death and he will give a crown of life. This from your mother and friend Sylvia Griffin.” ---------- In his will ( Blog May 2014) Samuel names four of Zilpha’s children, Edgar, Ellen, John and Albert Day. He names Orlow’s two boys, David and Henry. He does not mention all of his other grandchildren. The logic seems to be that these grandchildren had already lost their parents and a grandfather was looking after their interests. He names three of his children, Electa Wolcott, Sylvia Fuller and Harrison Griffin. ---------- Sylvia Bradley Griffin died February 10, 1873. Samuel and Sylvia are buried in the Essex Common Burial Ground. They are buried in a row with Orlow, Philemon and Minor. The Griffin plot is also populated with small headstones marking the burial place of their numerous grandchildren who all died in infancy. Samuel’s parents, his brother John, and two of his children, and his first wife, Zilpha are buried together in a separate part of the Cemetery.